William is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what William means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named William across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular William has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
William is a boy name of Germanic origin meaning “resolute protector”. popularised in England after the Norman Conquest.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 4,215,725 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 117,348 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 16,805 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 2,115 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 20,896 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 19,408 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named William per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1947 (67,156/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1999 (5,287/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1965 (1,000/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (777/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (131/yr).
William has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1947, when it ranked #6 nationally (given to 67,156 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1940s.
Wilma · Eliam · Williemae · Willam · Willem · Willma · Willamae · Willim
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